Wheatgrass contains a number of nutrients that promote healthy blood, stimulate red blood cell production and affect menstrual bleeding. Anecdotally, some properties attributed to wheatgrass include regulating menstrual bleeding and flushing out menstrual blood clots from the uterus. As a detoxification agent, wheatgrass can change the odor of menstrual blood. Wheatgrass is considered non-toxic and can be readily grown and prepared at home as a nutritious juice or powder supplement.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Consuming Wheatgrass
Most commercially derived wheatgrass products are made from the sprouting cotyledons of the Triticum aestivum plant. Raw wheatgrass cannot be digested by people because it is too fibrous. As such, it must put into a special extractor that makes wheatgrass juice, or dried and ground into fine powder before being consumed. Wheatgrass is harvested at the “jointing stage,” when the plant reaches its greatest nutritional value, according to “Biochemistry of Human Nutrition.” It is considered a “super-food” because it contains a wide variety of nutrients, some of which can impact menstruation 1.
- Most commercially derived wheatgrass products are made from the sprouting cotyledons of the Triticum aestivum plant.
- It is considered a “super-food” because it contains a wide variety of nutrients, some of which can impact menstruation 1.
Nutrition of Wheatgrass
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Wheatgrass contains virtually the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Further, it is rich in B vitamins, magnesium and potassium. Irregular menstrual cycles caused by malnourishment or deficiencies may be helped with wheatgrass supplementation because it is such a dense food source, according to “Nutrition and Public Health."
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The potassium and vitamin E in wheatgrass can cause relaxation and expansion of blood vessels and reduce the blood platelet cells' ability to aggregate and form clots. Further, wheatgrass can have a cleaning or flushing-out affect on the uterus, which can shed old menstrual blood clots and add to the volume of blood loss.
Wheatgrass and Detoxification
Wheatgrass alkalizes the body, which means it reduces acidity. Alkaline blood and tissues deter the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms and can eliminate toxins. During detoxification, all body fluids and secretions, including menstrual blood, can develop offensive odors. After many days or weeks of detox, offensive body odors often disappear.
- Wheatgrass alkalizes the body, which means it reduces acidity.
- Alkaline blood and tissues deter the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms and can eliminate toxins.
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References
- “Biochemistry of Human Nutrition”; George Gropper; 2000
- “Nutrition and Public Health”; Sari Edelstein; 2006
- “Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition”; Martha Stipanuk; 2006
- “Human Biochemistry and Disease”; Gerald Litwack; 2008
- “The New Healing Herbs”; Michael Castleman; 2010
- Wheat grass powder. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019.
- Renu M, Preeti R. Health benefits of wheat grass — a wonder food. Int J Food Nutr Sci. 2013;2(4):10-13.
- Bar-Sela G, Cohen M, Ben-Arye E, Epelbaum R. The medical use of wheatgrass: Review of the gap between basic and clinical applications. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2015;15(12):1002-10. doi:10.2174/138955751512150731112836
- Wan P, Chen H, Guo Y, Bai AP. Advances in treatment of ulcerative colitis with herbs: From bench to bedside. World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(39):14099-104. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i39.14099
- Bar-Sela G, Tsalic M, Fried G, Goldberg H. Wheat grass juice may improve hematological toxicity related to chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: A pilot study. Nutr Cancer. 2007;58(1):43-8. doi:10.1080/01635580701308083
- Kyada A, Chorai P. Myeloprotective effect of Triticum aestivum Linn. grass against antineoplastic agents induced bone marrow toxicity in mice. Trends in Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2017;3(3):169-180.
- Kothari S, Jain AK, Mehta SC, Tonpay SD. Hypolipidemic effect of fresh Triticum aestivum (wheat) grass juice in hypercholesterolemic rats. Acta Pol Pharm. 2011;68(2):291-4.
- Mutha AS, Shah KU, Kinikar AA, Ghongane BB. Efficacy and safety of wheat grass in thalassemic children on regular blood transfusion. Cureus. 2018;10(3):e2306. doi:10.7759/cureus.2306
- Parit SB, Dawkar VV, Tanpure RS, Pai SR, Chougale AD. Nutritional quality and antioxidant activity of wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum) unwrap by proteome profiling and DPPH and FRAP assays. J Food Sci. 2018;83(8):2127-2139. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.14224
- Wheat grass cold pressed juice. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019.
Writer Bio
Owen Bond began writing professionally in 1997. Bond wrote and published a monthly nutritional newsletter for six years while working in Brisbane, Australia as an accredited nutritionalist. Some of his articles were published in the "Brisbane Courier-Mail" newspaper. He received a Master of Science in nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan.